Top security brass repeats’ surrender offer to Kashmiri militants

Srinagar, October 16: The top brass of security establishment in Valley once again on Monday appealed the Kashmiri militants to surrender and join mainstream, saying they will be welcomed and rehabilitated.

The offer was made at a press conference here at police control room in Srinagar. The presser was jointly addressed by Kashmir Range police chief Munir Ahmad Khan, IG (operations) CRPF Zulfikar Hassan and Commander of Army’s 1 Sector RR. During the presser, the police produced two apprehended Lashkar-e-Toiba militants and a Hizbul Mujahideen over ground worker before media.

IGP Kashmir, Munir Khan told reporters that the forces are reiterating their commitment today once again regarding surrender policy for local militants. He said that the forces are ready to accept surrender of local militants even during gunfights and would be provided every support if they want to join mainstream.

”We will do whatever we can for rehabilitation if they want to come into mainstream. Even in the encounters, if they come up with their arms up, if they want to surrender we will take the surrenders because they are our own people,” he said. The IG Khan when asked refused to reveal how many militants have surrendered in Kashmir this year. He claimed that the militancy in Kashmir is decreasing and the forces would continue to target militant leadership.

The police chief said that the cause of concern for the security established is recruitment of militants and they want this to stop. The IGP further said that some small groups of Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit are active in all three ranges of Valley including in Srinagar. He also said that they are verifying the reports about Zakir Musa receiving a group of militants in forest area of Budgam district.

Pic by, Shah Jehangir/FK

On the occasion, the Army and CRPF officers said that the doors are open for all those militants who wish to surrender. They assured that the government forces would take care of safety and security of those youths who are willing to surrender and abandon the militant path. However, all the three officers of the security establishment made it clear that the operations against the militants would continue.

On the occasion, the IGP produced two militants of LeT identified as Haziq Rather and Khursheed Dar before the media and said that they were apprehended during live action. He said the duo had attempted to snatch weapon from PSO of a protected person in Qazigund but failed and after that they were apprehended at a joint naka. Both are residents of Kulgam district and arms and ammunition was recovered from their possession, the IGP said.

He also produced a Hizbul Mujahideen OGW namely Rameez Yatoo before the press, saying he was involved in an attack on police at DH Pora few days ago that left a cop dead. The IGP said that the OGW works in a medical agency and had brought militants of Hizb to DH Pora for carrying out the attack. (GNS)